What the Helen Haines tragedy means for Australian democracy – podcast

Helen Haines, the independent federal MP for the Victorian seat of Indi, is in a critical condition and has lost a leg after an alleged attack outside her electorate office in Wangaratta on Monday afternoon.

On Tuesday the alleged attacker and driver of the car was named by police as 43-year-old Brendan Nugent.

A major investigation is under way into the incident, with Victoria police, the Australian federal police, Asio and counter-terrorism investigators involved.

Guardian Australian political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to Matilda Boseley about what happened and why this alleged attack on an independent MP is a watershed moment in Australian politics and political debate Read more: Helen Haines loses leg after car allegedly did U-turn and struck her twice in Wangaratta Helen Haines was chatting with locals at a dog park on Monday morning.

By the afternoon, she was fighting for her life Brendan Nugent named as driver apprehended over alleged attack on Helen Haines ‘I don’t want to be known as a hero’: barber who rushed to help Helen Haines praised by PM Paul Daley: Political hate speech can have real-world fallout.

After the alleged attack on Helen Haines, our leaders must act Zoe Daniel: I knew one of us could get hurt eventually.

I never thought it would be my friend Helen Continue reading...